Window muntin bar elements



Oct. 29, 1963 w. M. TATE 3,108,336

WINDOW MUNTIN BAR ELEMENTS Filed Jan. 4, 1962 INVENTOR mm m /1. 72m

ATTORNEY5 United States Patent 3,163,336 WINDOW MUNTEN EAR ELEMENTS Wiliiam M. Tate, 43ers Hiawatha Drive, Knoxville, Tenn. Filed Jan. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 164,353 5 Gaines. (Cl. 20-56) This invention relates to the art of window construction and is more particularly concerned with a window construction embodying a simulated muntin bar arrangement capable of installation in the sash outside the plant where the sash is fabricated and in a wide variety of configurations.

As is well known, the great majority of window sashes, whether mounted for sliding movement in a generally vertical plane or for pivoted movement about a generally vertical axis, have typically included a rigid peripheral frame sub-divided internally in numerous ways by an arrangement of muntin bars. The rnuntin bars serve both a utilitarian and ornamental or esthetic function, permitting the use of several smaller, and therefore less expensive, panes of glass rather than a single larger pane as well as serving to brace the frame, and interrupting or dividing an otherwise broad expanse of glass into a pattern harmonizing with the architectural composition of the structure in which the window appears.

Architectural composition of building structures is limited in variety only by the ingenuity of the architect, and the window manufacturer must be able to supply windows of a wide range of shapes and designs for conformity with the particular requirements of a given structure. In an effort to hold this range to manageable proportions, a series of standard sash designs has been established by the industry but the number is still great.

In the conventional construction of window sashes, the muntin bars and frames are fitted together into a unitary assembly at the fabricating plant. Consequently, the manufacturer must maintain a stock of all the standard designs, which requires extensive storage facilities, or assemble according to each order, which is often impractical for obvious reasons.

in US. Patent 2,681,481, there was disclosed a wind-ow sash having a peripheral frame enclosing a single large pane of glass, and a separate pre-formed arrangement of muntin bars superposed upon the pane, the upper ends of the vertical legs of the arrangement being hingedly connected to the top frame member with the lower ends thereof releasably engaged by spring-biased latch. While this suggestion has the advantage of permitting any of several types of rnuntin bar arrangements to be installed into a given frame of predetermined dimensions, it nevertheless necessitates the maintenance of a large stock of the pro-formed bar arrangements according to the numerous established designs or the special fabrication of such arrangements at the manufacturing plant upon the customers order, and, hence, does not constitute a complete answer to the problem.

The primary object of the present invention is a window sash construct-ion including a prefabricated frame and a simulated muntin bar arrangement wherein the latter can be installed in the frame in any of a variety of possible configurations from a minimum of simple muntin bar elements by unskilled workmen without special equipment at locations remote from the manufacturing plant.

Another object of the invention is a window sash construction including a unitary peripheral frame and a simulated muntin bar arrangement wherein the latter, after installation according to one design, can be readily modified into various other designs, even with the sash in operative position in the building structure.

A further object of the invention is a simplified technique of fabricating window sash constructions by which Patented Oct. 29, 1963 one, given a stock of rare-fabricated unitary frames of standard dimensions, may produce sashes having the appearance of any standard muntin bar arrangement by means of interchangeable mun-tin bar elements.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of one simple embodiment of a window sash, all such details of which as are not directly related to the present improvement being omitted;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view partially in side elevation and partially in section taken generally along lines 22 of FIG. 1, showing one vertical bar element in elevation and the upper end of another such element in section, both being in operative relation to a preferred form-of horizontal bar element and the sash frame visible in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken partially in section and partially in elevation generally along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, showing the details of the preferred form of horizontal element seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a preferred form of clip employed in retaining the muntin bar elements in operative position in the frame;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a slightly modified clip adapted for use at the end of a muntin bar element which is to be maintained in abutment with another removable bar element;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view partially in elevation and partially in section of a fragment of one end of a bar element equipped with an alternative form of retaining means;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of one end of a bar element according to the invention in association with a conventional muntin bar element extending transversely thereto;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4 of a modified form of clip employed in the retaining means of FIG. 6.

In its most elemental form, a sash construction according to the invention may be viewed as the combination of a unitary peripheral frame, usually of quadrangular configuration although other shapes are possible, 2. pane of glass mounted in such frame and retained in place by appropriate glazing around its margins, and a muntin bar element shaped at at least one end for mating abutment with one side of the frame and the glazing thereon, said element being superimposed upon the pane and having at the shaped end a tongue projecting beyond the normal termination of the end, the tongue being embedded within or engaged beneath the glazing to secure such end to the sash.

To facilitate the description and to avoid unnecessary emphasis upon extraneous details, the sash selected for purposes of illustration is perhaps the simplest form, having a four-sided frame and a cruciform arrangement of muntin bars. It will be understood, however, that the concept of the invention is by no means limited to this particular sash or arrangement but is applicable to virtually all forms and arrangements. The frame itself is tubular metal, such as aluminum, but this is not essential and other materials, such as wood, steel, plastic or any others known for use in windows, could be used just as well. All the details of the frame that are immaterial to the invention, such as Weatherstripping, exterior channeling or projections for engagement with guides, etc. as are Well known in the art, have been omitted; they could, of course, be incorporated as needed for any particular purpose. The sides of the frame are joined together in any of the ways known in the art to provide a unitary structure.

Turning now to a detailed description of the drawing, the numeral in FIG. 1 designates the peripheral frame of the sash, which frame encloses a pane of glass 12, the peripheral margins of the rear face of the pane being seated against, and supported by, a flange 11 projecting inwardly from the inner rear corner of frame 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, it is intended that all of the muntin bars shall be removable and the pane 12 therefore occupies the full area of frame 10. As will be explained later, only some of the bars may be removable, the remainder constituting a permanent part of the sash in the conventional manner. The front wall of frame It) is extended inwardly, as at .14, to provide a lip, which is undercut on its rear, as at 16, for cooperation with a special glazing bead now in widespread use in the industry. This glazing bead, designated 18, is of a plastic, such as vinyl resin, extruded in a shape simulating the appearance of a manually applied bead of glazing compound, such as putty or the like. Thus, plastic bead 18 includes an upper leg 20 slightly bowed outwardly to resemble a putty bead, an angular leg 22 extending rearward'ly from the lower termination of leg 20 parallel to the plane of pane 12 for contact with the extreme margins of the pane around which the bead fits, and a short right-angular extension 24 of leg 22 for abutment with the window supporting flange 11 of frame 10. When the upper edge of leg 26 is engaged with the undercut side of lip 14 and the bead snapped into place with extension 24 between the outer edge of the pane and the main frame portion 1-0, extension 24, leg 22 and flange .11 define a channel for receiving the margins of the pane. Bowed leg 20 is maintained under slight compression to hold the pane in place. Also, a thin layer of a mastic compound may be interposed between pane .12 and flange 11, as at 26, to form a watertight seal, if necessary.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the muntin bar arrangement includes a horizontal bar element 30 bridging two sides of frame 10 at their approximate mid-point and two identical vertical bar elements 32 and 34 extending from the mid-point of horizontal element 30 to corresponding points of the frame sides parallel to element 39. For the purposes of this embodiment, all of the bar elements are formed of extruded plastic, e.g. vinyl resin, tubing in generally frusto-triangular configuration, as can be seen in FIG. 2 in the case of element 30. Preferably, the base of the tubing is slightly bowed inwardly for better contact with the glass pane upon which the elements are superposed, and the sides are slightly bowed outwardly for better resemblance with conventional glazing beading. The top is flat in the manner of a typical muntin bar, such as appears in FIG. 7 and will be described later. In operative position, all of the muntin elements have their extreme ends in abutment with the glazing bead 18 and their ends are shaped for a close, mating fit with head 18.

It is, of course, necessary that means be present to retain the muntin elements in place and, to this end, each element is provided with a thin tongue projecting externally in general alignment with the base of the element. Preferably, the tongue is provided by means of a clip-like sheet metal device best seen in FIG. 4. Device 40 includes two sections, a transverse strip section 42 having its ends 42a, 42b bent upwardly and inwardly to achieve a three-dimensional configuration generally similar to the cross-section of the muntin elements, and an extension section 44 serving as the bead-engaging tongue. As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bent section 42 fits within an open end of the element for frictional retention therein while extension 44 projects outwardly of the tubing. To limit the movement of the device relative to the element, extension section 44 preferably has a transverse dimension somewhat in excess of the corresponding dimension of the element at the base, forming shoulders, as at 46, which contact the side walls of the elements. Section 44 is also preferably offset slightly from the normal base plane of the device, as at 48, for better alignment with the base of the tubing from which the elements are constructed. It will be seen the extension tongue 42 is readily adapted to fit between the leg 22 of the plastic bead 18 and the adjacent surface of the glass pane and will be tightly engaged by the bead. Thus, the muntin elements are securely held in place. In practice, the elements with the clip-like device at their ends may be held in proper position against the pane and the beads snapped into place, one at a time, along the edges of the pane to overlie the extension tongues. Alternatively, the heading may be fully installed and the appropriate portion thereof lifted slightly to allow the tongues at the ends of the element to he slid underneath. The latter technique may also be followed wherein one end of one element is to abut with another element extending perpendicularly thereto.

In the case of an element, such as those designated 32 and 34 in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is to be engaged at at least one end with another removable element, such as element 30, the retaining device used at such end may be identical to the device numbered 40 so that the tongue section projects between the base of the other element and the glass pane. This arrangement results, however, in the tongue being visible through the pane from the interior of the window unless the pane is provided with a masking strip. If the visibility of the tongues is objectionable, this may be avoided by the use of a slightly modified form of retaining device, generally indicated at 4-0 in FIG. 2 and shown in detail in FIG. 5, wherein the tongue extension 44- is bent upwardly as at 43', for engagement with a slot 49 cut into the side wall of the element 30 for this purpose slightly above the element base. In this way, the tongue of the device projects into the exterior of the element and is effectively concealed from view.

Where an element is to bridge a considerable distance as is the case, for example, with horizontal element 30 in FIG. 1, better results will be obtained if some form of reinforcement is provided. One such form is illustrated in FIG. 3 where a coil spring 50 is passed through the full length of element 30 with the hooked ends 52 thereof engaged with hook-s 54 at the heads of bolts 56. Bolts 56 extend through openings formed for this purpose at the proper points in frame 11 and heading 18 and are held by nuts 58 threaded on their outer ends. Nuts 58 may be tightened to put spring 50 under the desired tension.

Other forms of element-securing devices may be utilized in lieu of clips 40. For instance, FIGS. 6 and 8 illustrate a two-part device 6t) including a fiat sheet-metal part 61 having an inner section 62, comparable in part to section 42 of clip 40, which is disposed Within the open end of the element, and an outer section 64 identical to tongue 44 of clip 40, and a solid plug-like part 66 adapted to be wedged into the open end of the element to hold part 61 in place. Alternatively, the base side of the element itself could be extended longitudinally in a manner not shown to constitute the bead-engaging tongue, provided the plastic possesses the necessary strength.

As already indicated, not all of the muntin bar arrangement need be simulated. An example of this type of construction appears in FIG. 7. Here, one muntin element is of the usual inverted T shape and metallic material. This element is preferably that one which extends between opposite sides of the frame where reinforcement would otherwise be advantageous, corresponding, for example, to element 30 in FIG. 1, and is designated 30 to denote such correspondence. The sides of the cross-bar of the T function in the same manner as the fiange 11 of frame 10 and are, accordingly, numbered 11. In other respects, the construction in FIG. 7 is the same as that described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. Since, in this arrangement, the flange 11' of the permanent bar element 30 shields the glazing head 18 from view from the in,

terior of the window, the retaining clip may be of the type designated 40.

It will be appreciated that the muntin elements might be made of metal tubing or even solid material, such as wood. In the latter event, the ends of the elements would be appropriately recessed to receive and support the retaining devices. Similarly, while the concept of the invention is particularly desirable for use with a pre-formed glazing bead, valuable advantages would still accrue if the sash were glazed with glazing compound in the usual Way, the head of glazing compound being laid down around the frame and over the retaining tongues, or else the tongues being forced into .a previously applied bead by positioning the element obliquely on the glass, twisting the same to right-angular position, and pressing the liftedup portions of the heading back into place. After the glazing compound hardens, the element will be held in place with sufiicient firmness for many purposes.

Having thus described my invention, that which is claimed is:

1. A window sash construction comprising, in combination, a unitary peripheral frame, a pane of glass mounted in such frame, a glazing bead extending entirely around the periphery of said pane adjacent frame, said head being secured to said frame, at least one first longitudinal element extending between opposite sides of said frame in superposed relation to said pane with the ends of the element in angular abutting relation to said head, said element being of generally frusto-triangular cross-section and simulating the appearance of a mutin bar with glazing beads associated with the opposite sides thereof, and a flat substantially rigid tongue carried by said element at each end thereof and projecting longitudinally of said end, each of said tongues being engaged by said bead to hold said element in place, and at least one second longitudinal element similar to said first element extending between said first element and a side of said frame in superposed relation to said pane, said second element having one end thereof in angular abutting relation to said bead and the other in angular abutting relation to a side of said first element, and a fiat, substantially rigid tongue carried by said second element at each end thereof, the tongue at the end of the said second element abutting said bead being engaged by said head and the tongue at the other end being engaged by said first element.

2. The window sash construction of claim 1 wherein said glazing bead is of plastic pre-formed to simulate a bead of glazing compound and said tongue is disposed between said pre-form-ed bead and the adjacent surface of the pane.

3. The window sash construction of claim 1 wherein each of said elements is recessed at each end, and each of said tongues is provided by a clip-like device having one end of three-dimensional configuration for reception within the corresponding recess and the other of planar configuration projecting externally of said end to constitute said tongue.

4. The window sash construction of claim 1 wherein said first element is tubular and extends between opposite sides of said frame, and including a reinforcing member passing through said element with its ends connected to said frame sides.

5. A window sash construction comprising in combination a unitary peripheral frame including four side members and a muntin bar extending between two opposite side members, panes of glass mounted in said frame, a glazing bead extending entirely around the peripheries of said panes adjacent said side members and muntin bar, said head being secured to said side members and said bar, at least one longitudinal element extending between said bar and one of said side members in superposed relationship to the corresponding pane with the ends thereof in angular abutting relation to the head at said member and said bar respectively, said element being of generally frusto-triangular cross-section and simulating the appearance of a muntin bar with glazing beads associated with the opposite sides thereof, a flat substantially rigid tongue carried by said element at each end thereof, each of said tongues being engaged by the head with which the corresponding end of the element abuts to hold the element in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,117,053 Humphries Nov. 10,1914 2,408,281 Wilkin Sept. 24, 1946 2,931,997 Schribner Apr. 5, 1960 2,983,002 McEvoy et a1. May 9, 1961 3,058,517 Jacobs et a1. Oct. 16, 1962 

1. A WINDOW SASH CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A UNITARY PERIPHERAL FRAME, A PANE OF GLASS MOUNTED IN SUCH FRAME, A GLAZING BEAD ECTENDING ENTIRELY AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID PANE ADJACENT FRAME, SAID BEAD BEING SECURED TO SAID FRAME, AT LEAST ONE FIRST LONGITUDINAL ELEMENT EXTENDING BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRAME IN SUPERPOSED RELATION TO SAID PANE WITH THE ENDS OF THE ELEMENT IN ANGULAR ABUTTING RELATION TO SAID BEAD, SAID ELEMENT BEING OF GENERALLY FRUSTO-TRIANGULAR CROSS-SECTION AND SIMULATING THE APPEARANCE OF A MUTIN BAR WITH GLAZING BEADS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, AND A FLAT SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID TONGUE CARRIED BY SAID ELEMENT AT EACH END THEREOF AND PROJECTING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID END, EACH OF SAID TONGUES BEING ENGAGED BY SAID BEAD TO HOLD SAID ELEMENT IN PLACE, AND AT LEAST ONE SECOND LONGITUDINAL ELEMENT SIMILAR TO SAID FIRST ELEMENT EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST ELEMENT AND A SIDE OF SAID FRAME IN SUPERPOSED RELATION TO SAID PANE, SAID SECOND ELEMENT HAVING ONE END THEREOF IN ANGULAR ABUTTING RELATION TO SAID BEAD 